Weekend Reading: History and Myth

In the minds of the monks who wrote the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the baptism of Ethelbert King is a historical event on a par with Cynric King having Woden, father-god of the Aesir and high drighten of Valhalla, as his great8-grandfather: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle A: 552: "This year Cynric fought against the Britons at the place which is called Searo-byrig [Old Sarum], and he put the Britons to flight. Cerdic was Cynric's father, Cerdic was the son of Elesa, Elesa of Esla, Esla of Gewis, Gewis of Wig, Wig of Freawin, Freawin of Frithogar, Frithogar of Brond, Brond of Beldeg, Beldeg of Woden. And Ethelbert, the son of Ermenric was born; and in the thirtieth year of his reign he received baptism, the first of the kings in Britain...

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